Work positioning means for centering machines



Sept 35, 1931.

WORK POSITIONING MEAN$ FOR CENTERING MACHINES Original Filed May 3, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J. J. THACHER 1,823,670

Sept. 15, 1931. J. J. THACHER 1,323,670

woax rozmonme MEANS FOR CENTERING mcnmas Original Filed May 5. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z 70 5a .l 7 9 INVENTOR 'ORNEY copending application Serial No. 188,554, filed May 3, 1927, in which the complete ma- Patented Sept. 15, 1931 entree STATES PATENT; OFFICE JOHN J. TEACHER, or wE'rHERsrIELn, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR o rnA'rrr c; WHIT EY coNIPANY, on 'NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY wonx POSITIONING MEANs on CENTERING MAcHI Es Original application filed May 3, 1927, Serial No. 188,554. Divided andthi's 1928. Serial No. 310,117.

This invention relates to centering machines and particularly to one adapted to simultaneously center the opposite ends of a blank held against rotation during the centering operation. 1 s An object of the present invention is to provide improved supporting and retaining means for the work being centered which will permit work of widely different diameters to be properly-positioned while being centered and held against rotation without manual adjustment of the holding members.

Another object of the present invention is to provide work supporting and retaining members comprising a plunger and an abutment adapted. to support a work blank between them, the abutment through fluid actuated means being adapted to adjust the position of the plunger to properly and accurately position a blank of anyv diameter horizontally for the centering operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slight vertical adjustment of the work supporting means by means of an eccentric sleeve so that the supporting means may be accurately aligned with the axis ofthe drill spindles.

This application forms a division of'my chine is disclosed in detail.

WVit-h these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the features of construction. andoperation set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings annexed hereto and forming a part of this specification, I have shown my invention embodied in a treadle operated machine adapted to simultaneously center opposite ends of a work blank, but it will be understood that the inveuti on can be otherwise embodied and that the drawings are not to be'construed as delining or limiting the scope of the invention,

the claims appended to this specification being relied upon for that purpose.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of thecomplete machine.

application filed October Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken substane tially upon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; In the above mentioned drawingsI have shown but one embodimentof the invention which is now deemed preferable, but it is to be understood that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

Briefly, and in its broadestvaspect, my invention comprises the following principal parts: first, a base; second, drill heads mounted-in opposed relation upon opposite ends of the base and adapted to be moved along the base; third, work supporting member-s adapted to support work blanks of dif-: ferent diameters in axial alignment withthe drill spindles; fourth, .plungers forming parts of the work supporting members having V-shaped notches at their; rear ends adapted to engage theperiphery of ,.work

blanks being centered; fifth,abutments movable toward and from the plungers and adapted to contact with the opposite side of the work blank being centered; sixth, lever mechanism actuated by a foot treadle to advance the abutments into operative position; seventh, auxiliary plungersdisposed parallelly to and acent the plungers having the V notches and adapted on their rearward end to engagesurfaces on the abutments; and eighth, fluid means within the cylinders for said plungers, the ratios of these plungers being such that work of any diameter may be properly centered when the abutments are advanced to engage thework and the auxiliary plungers force the first plungers to "firm ly engage the periphery of the work.

Referring more in detail to the figures of the drawings, I provide a base 10. preferably mounted upon suitable pedestals 11 andadapted to'support drill spindle mounting tool heads 12 on the opposite endsof the base: As these heads 12 may be and preferably are similar, a description of one will suflice, it being understood, however, that the. heads will be in opposed relation and will have their drill spindles 1'3 axially'advanced toward the by manually operable means in one of the heads 12.

In order to rotate the spindle 13 at high speed a motor 31 is mounted on a bracket 32 secured to the head-12 and provided with driving connectionsso that spindle 13 may be rotated in any axial position.

in the capacity of the machine to be properly In ordert-o properly andaccurately support work blanks W of different diameters coaxially with the drill spindles 13 and to permit blanks l/V of difierent diameters withand havinga V-shaped notch preferably of 60 in their rear ends. Thework'being centered or otherwise actedupon is adapted to engage the angular surfaces of this notch.

Two of these supports 50 are preferably provided which may be adjusted along the base 10'f0r different lengths of work blanks 1V. Thesesupports 50 and parts mountedthereon are similar to each other so that but one will be described.

' I Adjacent and extending parallel to the plunger 51 is an auxiliary plunger 53' within a second cylinder 54 within the support 50 connected to the first cylinder by a suitable passage 55. This second or auxiliary plunger 53has a rearward extending projection 56. Therelative cross sectional areas of these two plungers 51 and 53 with notches of 60 rojection 56- on the auxiliary plunger 53 to.

orce that plunger to correspondingly advance the firstvplunger 51, a member 58 is provided as shown clearly. in Fig. 3. This member 58is adapted to be moved insuitable ways within the support toward and from the plungers 51 and 53. Upon movement forward of the member 58 it engages the work blank W and forces the blank 1V against the surfaces of the notch in the plunger 51. This supports the blank V] at an elevation corresponding to thatof thespindles 1-3.

Simultaneously forward movement ofthc' member 58 causes it to engage the projection 56 on auxiliary plunger 53'and force the plunger 51 rearwardly through the liquid within the cylinders 52 and 54. This movement of the plungers 51 and 53 and the member 58 continues until the blank W is firmly held between the surfaces of the notch in plunger 51 and the forward surface of the member 08. The relative movement of the plunger 51 and the member 58 is such that blanks WV will be held upon the same axis regardless of'their, diameter. To initially adjust the plunger 51 so that the axis upon which blanks IV are held will coincide with the axis of the spindles 13, an adjustment of the plungers 51 and 53.is provided. This comprises a screw which may be screwed in or out to slightly vary the space within the inner ends of'cylinders 52 and 54 and the passage 55. The effect of this adjustment is to slightly vary the lateral position of the plunger 51 and member 58 when a lank Wis held between them. To initially adjust the plunger 51 to the correct height an eccentric sleeve 51 is inserted within the cylinder 52 closely surrounding the plunger 51. By rotating the sleeve 51 the elevation of the plunger 51 may be slightly varied. A clamping screw 57 is provided to tightly hold the sleeve 51 in adjusted posi tion'. To hold the plungers 51 and 53 from rotation and from movement beyond limited positions, screws 59-are provided adapted to engage splines formed within the plungers 51 and 53.

The mechanism for advancing the member 58 toward and from its operative position is shown fully in Fig. 3. T118 comprises a foot treadle 62 adapted to be oscillated about the'axis of a shaft 63. Preferably thisshaft 63' is supported for rotation in a bracket 6-1 secured upon the rear surface of the base 10. For convenience the treadle 62 may be adjusted along the shaft 63 between the pro jections on the bracket 64 supporting the shaft. The shaft 63 has secured to it a lever 65 provided with gear teeth adapted to mesh with teeth on the lower end of a lever 66 mounted for pivotal movement about a stud 67 in the bracket 64. Movement therefore of the treadle 62 will oscillate the lever 66. The upper end of this lever 66, through a suitable short connecting link 68, is pivotally connected to an oscillating member 69 adapted to oscillate with a shaft 70 mounted in the bracket 64. The shaft 70 is splined substantially throughout its length and is provided with levers 71, one for each of the supports 50. Oscillation of the shaft 70 therefore'oscil-lates the levers 71 which are attached through connecting rods 72 to the member or block 58. A spring 73 is interposed between the lever 71 and rod 72 per mitting the lever71- tobe moved to a limited position with blanks W of any diameter.

In their work clamping position the lever 66 and link 68 are in alignment, thus acting similar to the links of a toggle. Similarly the members 71 and 72 are in alignment when the member 58 is in vits forward or work clamping position.

To return the treadle 62 and connected parts to their inoperative positions, a spring 5 is provided normally forcing the lever 5 to its outer position and the treadle to its upper position. The supports 50 are justably secured to the base 10 by'straps 76 on cross shafts 77 having eccentrics thereon '28. Hand levers 79 provide means for oscillating the shafts 77. l

lVhat I claim is:

1. Supporting means for work pieces in a drilling machine comprising in combination, a support, oppositely disposed work engaging members on said support, means manually operable to move one of said members toward and from its work engaging position, and means to vary the position of the opposite member, said means including hydraulically connected plungers movable within cylinders in said support, one plunger being engaged by the manually movable work engaging member and the other plunger carrying the work engaging members opposed to said manually movable member, whereby said opposed mem her will be adjusted and blanks of different diameters may be mounted upon the same axls.

2. Means to position work of difierentdiameters centrally upon a fixed axis in a drilling machine comprising in combination, a support, a manually movable work engaging member, an opposed work engaging member, a plunger forming part of said opposed work engaging member, a second plunger adjacent said opposed work engaging member and extending parallelly thereto, cylinders within which said plungers are movably mounted, a block forming part of said manually movable work engaging member adapted to engage the opposite side of the work and said second plunger, and a fluid conduit connecting said cylinders, whereby said plungers are simultaneously movable in opposite directions. V

3. Means to positionwork of different diameters upon a fixed axis in a drilling machine comprising in combination, a support,

a work engaging member movable on said support, a second movable member adjacent said member having a projection thereon and movable parallelly thereto, cylinders therefor within which said members are slidable, a fluid conduit connecting said cylinders whereby said members are movable in opposite directions, a manually movable block on said support movable toward and from said member and adapted to engage said member and projection, movement of the block forwardly serving to hold the work between the member and block.

i 4. Supportingmeans for work pieces in a drilling machine comprising in combination,a support, oppositely disposed work engaging members on said support, manual means to move one member into and out ofits work engagingposition, aplunger supportmg the other of said work engaging members, a second plunger having a cross section different from said first plunger, cylindersiin which said plungers are slidable, a 1

members on said support, manual means to' move one member into and out of work engaging position, a plunger movable with the other of said work engaging members, a second plunger parallel to the first plunger, cylinders for said plungers opening one into the other, a fluid filling said cylinders, and means on said first work engaging member engaging said second plunger when moved to its work engaging position, whereby movement of said second plunger forces said first plunger into its work engaging position.

6. Supporting means for work pieces in a drilling machine comprising in combination, a support,oppositely disposed work engaging members on said support, manual means to move one member into and out of work engaging position, a plunger movable with the other of said work engaging members, a second plunger parallel to the first plunger, cylinders for said plungers opening one into the other, a fluid filling said cylinders, an eccentric sleeve within the cylinder mountingthe plunger carrying the work engaging member, whereby rotary adjustment of said sleeve will vary the transverse position of said work engaging member, and means on said first work engaging member engaging said second plunger when moved to its work engaging position, whereby movement of said second plunger forces said first plunger into its work engaging position. r

7. Supporting means for work pieces in a drilling machine comprising in combination, asupport, oppositely disposed work engaging members on said support, manual means to move one member into and out of work engaging position, a plunger movable with the other of said work engaging members, a second plunger parallel to the first plunger, cylinders for said plungers opening one into the other, a fluid filling said cylinders, means to adjust the relative positions of said plungers within said cylinders,and means on said first Workengagingmemberengaging said second v plungerwhen moved to ltSWOIk engaglng posltlon, whereby movement of sand second plunger forces said first en gagmg posltlon.

I n testi slgnature.

plunger into its werk mony ,WhereofQI hereto aflix my JOHN J. THAOHER. 

